


Never Admit It

by anaturalintrovert



Series: Ni No Kuni Fics [5]
Category: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (Video Game)
Genre: Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, Platonic Male/Male Relationships, Platonic Relationships, is that so much to ask for?, look just let oliver and phil drive a car together and be proud of themselves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:09:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27198295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anaturalintrovert/pseuds/anaturalintrovert
Summary: Phil and Oliver decide to have another shot at making a car. Fingers crossed nobody gets hurt this time.
Relationships: Mark | Phillip & Oliver
Series: Ni No Kuni Fics [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1899427
Comments: 3
Kudos: 14





	Never Admit It

**Author's Note:**

> My last Phil and Oliver fic was sad so here’s a happy one for balance, enjoy!

Phil and Oliver were going to make this car. It was going to work, and it was going to be brilliant, and nobody would get hurt.

And, though neither or them would admit it, they were both very very very scared. But it would be okay. They weren’t testing it by the water. They had paid special attention to the wheels. And Phil had insisted on the car having two seats this time.

Because Phil, though he’d never admit it, wished he was in the car with Oliver way back when. He wished that, if nothing else, Oliver wasn’t alone. Phil could swim. He could have saved him. He could have saved Allie.

But swimming wasn’t needed because nothing would go wrong this time. They weren’t by the water. The wheels were fine.

The helmet straps attached around their chins. The clasps nipped the skin under their chins and the wind was cold and the sky was clear and dark. Night again. Brilliant events always seemed to occur under the stars. Constellations shone down from the sky, one of which Oliver knew all too well.

They’d be fine. The future was now and the past was then.

They’d picked a road running through town so they could get help quicker. It was probably legal. Hopefully. They had helmets and blueprints and half a chance. And experience this time. The lack of experience was the killer, that’s what the two had settled on. They couldn’t keep running in circles while their guilt burdened them until they ended up crawling.

Phil had made a silent decision. If someone got hurt this time around, that would be it. He’d throw in the towel. Because now there was no excuse.

The future was now but nothing was permanent. No-one was hurt yet so Phil persisted.

Oliver hadn’t been in a car since forever ago. He hadn’t really been driven outside of Motorville, there was too much catching up to do. He was too busy bouncing between the two worlds to visit his new friends and then returning to keep things going with the old. He forgot what it was like until he was in the backseat. Not the driver’s seat. He wasn’t responsible for much anymore and it felt very freeing. He could watch everything roll past him and not worry as much. He’d never admit how happy that made him. His main responsibility was making sure that Phil didn’t get himself hurt.

The kid had a tendency to think of himself as some invincible being that was only there to protect others. Phil would never admit that he was just as fragile as everyone else in the world. Someone had to be strong, and he would be the one to take that role.

They were seated. Lovely seats, leather and everything. They flicked the final switches and adjusted their goggles. “Shout me if you want me to pull over,” Phil yelled over his shoulder, the engine rumbling loudly over him. It stunk of gasoline and felt wonderful as it burned their throats. It felt like effort and it felt like a taste of success.

“Roger!” Oliver called, doing a thumbs up. “Ready when you are!”

They’d never admit the pride swelling within them. They’d never admit that maybe a tear had slipped out. Never out loud. However, in their own heads, in their own little worlds, they had never been happier.

The car lurched forward, enough to make Phil’s heart sink and Oliver’s heart race. They thought it had broken. What if it exploded? What if they got hurt again? Phil was ready to get out and leave the hunk of scrap metal out in the street, but when he tried to open the door he hadn’t removed his foot from the gas pedal.

And the car was moving.

Oliver shouted something, a shocked call full of pride and excitement, and the world became brilliant all over again. Oliver had experienced awe before. The first time casting Gateway would always stick with him. This feeling matched that entirely. Magical but without any magic. He could feel happy. He could feel joy and adrenaline and he could feel it to the fullest in this world again. He didn’t have to ride a dragon to feel alive, he could do it on his doorstep.

And as much as magic was lovely, it was nice to finally be able to feel happy regardless of where he was.

Phil was on Oliver’s wavelength. Phil was ecstatic, yes, but Oliver was on another plain entirely.

Flying with no wings. Wheels against tarmac. Nothing could ever ruin this, and eventually the two would admit that to one another.

Now, parking, that’d be tricky.

The goal was to bring the car to a stop at the town outskirts, on the grass. No, it wasn’t near the water, but it was certainly closer. Oliver hadn’t been there since he’d started drowning. Neither had Phil, though he’d never admit it. It was colder, out in the open. Phil slammed on the brakes. Yes, it was a little earlier than he’d wanted, but the car had worked and he had nothing to prove anymore. They couldn’t achieve everything they’ve wanted to if they ended up with broken legs. Or worse.

The car skidded for a while. Mud and tyres didn’t go particularly well together. For a moment they both worried the momentum could carry them right by the water’s edge. They didn’t want to go back there, not for a long time. Of course, they’d never admit that.

The car slowed and ended up turning slightly, skidding to a stop in the middle of the grass. They didn’t move for a second. Maybe they’d wake up from what felt like such a crazy dream if they dared move a muscle.

Oliver moved first, got out of the car and held of his hand to Phil. Phil took it and was dragged up and out into the open.

The wind was cold and the silence was beautiful and the excitement was flooding them both. Phil was tempted to not admit what he was thinking. Anxiety about sharing his emotions and all that. Regardless of his own reservations, he stepped forward and hugged Oliver.

“I’m so happy you’re still here,” Phil admitted.

Oliver found his own courage to speak. He hugged back and held back tears. “Yeah. I’m glad you’re still here too.”

Both were happy enough to admit that.


End file.
